Holy Sunday or Pentecost: Popular beliefs and what not to do on this day

Orthodox Christians in the Republic of Moldova are celebrating Great Sunday today, also known as Pentecost, one of the most important holidays in the church calendar. It takes place 50 days after Easter and symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, a moment considered the beginning of the Christian Church's mission in the world.

What is Pentecost?

Pentecost is the feast that concludes the Paschal cycle, being celebrated 50 days after the Resurrection of the Lord, which is why it is also known as Pentecost, reports the virtual encyclopedia Britannica. Pentecost celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which was announced by Jesus Christ himself at the Last Supper: "I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." In the Orthodox calendar, Pentecost is always celebrated on the eighth Sunday after Easter and is therefore also called Great Sunday, being a very important day for Orthodox Christians everywhere.

According to Eastern Christian rites, the Feast of Pentecost marks the beginning of the mission of the Christian Church in the world, because on this day, this divine-human institution, founded invisibly with the sacrifice of the Savior on the cross, came into being in a visible way. The Romanian word "Pentecost" comes from the Latin "Rosalia", derived from the Greek term ρουσάλια and also found in the Slavonic Rusalija, and symbolizes the feast of roses.

In the Byzantine tradition, Pentecost is followed by Holy Spirit Monday (Pentecost Monday), when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Holy Trinity. The duration of this celebration differs depending on the region: in Moldova and Transylvania it lasts three days, in Wallachia and Oltenia seven days, and in Banat eight days.

When did the celebration of Pentecost appear

Father Professor Ene Braniște mentions in the General Liturgy that Pentecost is the oldest Christian celebration along with Easter, having been celebrated since the time of the Holy Apostles. In the first Christian centuries, the feast of Pentecost was a double celebration: of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and the Ascension of Christ. Around the year 400, the two celebrations separated from each other. This celebration is mentioned in canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, in the year 325, informs crestinortodox.ro.

If by the work of the Holy Spirit, God the Son descended from heaven and became incarnate, it is also through the Holy Spirit that we are imparted the divine and human life of Christ. The descent of the Holy Spirit is the act of passing on the saving work of Christ, from His humanity to men. Thus, the Church is constituted by this extension of the life of Christ in us. Considering that through the Spirit we partake of Christ, in the Orthodox Church the holy services begin with the prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit: “Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fulfills all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all defilement and save, Good One, our souls.”

Blessing of the Linden and Walnut Branches

On the occasion of the feast of Pentecost, seven prayers are read in all churches to bless the green linden and walnut branches, which symbolize the rich gifts of the Holy Spirit. The custom of blessing the branches is found not only in our Church, but also in Jerusalem, Constantinople or Damascus. These branches are then distributed to the faithful as a symbol of the tongues of fire through which the grace of the Holy Spirit working in the disciples of Christ, sent by Him to proclaim His Gospel in all the languages ​​of the world, according to Doxologia.ro. According to the account in “Acts of the Apostles” 2:1-4 (the fifth book of the New Testament), on the day of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, “the apostles were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and they sat on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Impressed by this extraordinary revelation, the Apostle Peter delivered a sermon that touched the hearts of those present, and as a result, approximately 3,000 people chose to be baptized. This moment marked the formation of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, the nucleus of the later Church, which is why the feast of Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Christian Church.

Popular beliefs related to Pentecost

In Romanian folklore, Pentecost is perceived as supernatural beings, with evil traits, similar to the elves. It is said that, after leaving their graves on Maundy Thursday to take part in the Easter celebration with the living, the souls of the dead roam the sky starting with the day known as the “Stratul de Pentecost” (Wednesday, the 25th day after Easter) and bring misfortune to those who do not honor them properly. According to popular belief, those who disregard them can be touched by terrible punishments and can suffer disfigurements, mental disorders or even paralysis.

Summer Estates, celebrated on the Saturday before Pentecost, represent one of the most important moments dedicated to honoring the departed. Thus, the souls of the dead, who left their graves on Maundy Thursday and wandered free for 50 days, return to the afterlife on this day, we learn from the website crestinortodox.ro. In order for their return to be peaceful and free from disturbances, people organized rituals of reconciliation and reconciliation of spirits, decorated houses and cemeteries with linden branches and prepared rich alms.

These customs are still observed today in the villages of Bukovina. Kneeling during church services, often accompanied by prostrations, is a gesture of honoring God, expressing deep respect, humility and submission of the soul before Him. According to Canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council, which took place in Nicea in 325, kneeling is prohibited on the day of Pentecost, we learn from Doxologia.ro.

“Since there are some who kneel on Sundays and from Easter to Pentecost, so that all may be observed in the same way in every parish (diocese), it seemed to the Holy Synod that prayers should be offered to God while standing.” In fact, this canon recommends avoiding kneeling on any Sunday, both in church and at home, but without considering this gesture a sin. In the past, this period was dedicated to the baptism of catechumens, those people who wanted to become Christians but came from other rites. In the context of these initiation rituals, both fasting and kneeling were forbidden at that time.

Pentecost Customs and Traditions

In some regions, women resort to special spells to ward off the evil influence of the iles, while the doors and windows of houses are anointed with garlic to protect the household from bad luck and evil forces throughout the year. At the same time, in other areas of the country, to drive away evil spirits, certain noisy rituals are practiced, accompanied by hitting the ground or walls with linden branches.

Women also prepare a special ointment from traditional ingredients with which they anoint the udders of cows to increase the amount of milk. In some regions, there is a custom for people to carry plants with protective powers, such as lovage, garlic or wormwood. It is believed that these keep evil spirits at bay and offer protection against the influence of the iles, those capricious and vengeful supernatural beings who can "take away" the unfortunate at Pentecost, causing suffering or even illness. In Transylvania, there is an old custom called "watering the wives" which consists of sprinkling women with water to keep them healthy and beautiful all year round. The dance of the călușari is a custom found especially in the south of the country, where it is believed that it can heal the evils done at Pentecost.

The best dancers in the village gather to form a band of 13 călușari and swear that for a month they will dance the ritual "Căluș". During the healing ceremony, the sick person is placed directly on the ground, and the călușari begin to dance around him. At a certain point, each călușari jumps over the suffering person, and at the end, one of them whispers a wish for recovery in his ear, reports Creștinortodox.ro. The belief that if the weather is nice on Pentecost Day, the summer will be fruitful and full of abundance also comes from popular tradition.

What not to do on Pentecost

According to ancient beliefs, on the days of Pentecost, it is not good to work, go to the fields, build or repair houses, because it is believed that doing so will attract the wrath of evil spirits. It is also not good to sleep under the open sky, so as not to be haunted by evil spirits, nor to enter the forest. It is also important to avoid quarrels and tensions on this day. Popular tradition says that the wandering spirits that walk on these days feed on negative energies, and conflicts in the family or community can attract bad luck.

Therefore, this holiday is seen as a suitable time for reconciliation with those around you, peace of mind and peaceful coexistence, and gestures of forgiveness are considered to bring good.

Another belief in popular tradition states that, on Pentecost, it is forbidden to climb trees or go to high places, and one should also avoid long journeys far from home, in order to avoid the presence of wandering spirits. In the Byzantine era, in order to preserve the sacredness of the Pentecost holiday, public performances, whether in theaters or circuses, or any other manifestations considered indecent, were prohibited.

Ascension Day, celebrated on May 29: What not to do on Ascension Day

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Ascension of the Lord today, one of the most important holidays in the Christian calendar, marked 40 days after Easter. Also known to the people as Ispas, this day commemorates the moment when Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, in front of His disciples. In all Orthodox churches, the Holy Liturgy is celebrated, and the service is connected with both the Resurrection of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which will be celebrated in ten days.

Tradition says that on this day, people greet each other with „Christ is Risen!”, and the response is „Truly He is Risen!”

The Day of Ispas is accompanied by numerous folk customs. In some regions, funeral services are organized at cemeteries and alms are given of Easter cakes, cozonac and red eggs for the souls of the deceased. It is believed that on this day, the heavens remain open, and those who die of the Ascension go directly to the Kingdom of Heaven.

In some areas of the country, it is said that Maundy Thursday is the Easter of the Horses, and the horses are set free. Housewives dye eggs red and crack them, similar to the Easter tradition.

Also on this day, medicinal plants such as lovage, hazel or sycamore are sanctified. In some villages, people symbolically fight with lovage, to be protected from diseases and troubles.

Being a holiday with a red cross, believers do not wash clothes or do household chores. It is said that those who violate these rules will be followed by bad luck.

As on many other important holidays, people look to the sky and the fields. It is said that as the weather is on Maundy Thursday, so will it be all summer. Also at this time, housewives start picking grape leaves for sarmale, and people go out into the fields to see how the crops are doing. If the crow is no longer visible from the wheat, a rich harvest is announced.

Sânzienele or Saint John of Summer: traditions and customs. What is good to do on this day?

On June 24, Orthodox, Catholic and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrate the Birth of Saint John the Baptist, the prophet who baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. This celebration is recorded in popular culture as Sânzienele or Drăgaica. In the Republic of Moldova, people celebrate Christian religious holidays in the old style. On the 7th of July is the feast of the Sânzâiens according to the old rite.

Considered the Forerunner of God, Saint John the Baptist is the last prophet of the Old Testament, but also the one who made the connection with the New Testament. Saint John the Baptist was born in the village of Ein-Kerem (near Jerusalem); he is the son of Elizabeth (cousin of Mary, Mother of God) and priest Zacharias.

Saint John the Baptist began his missionary activity in AD 26, the first year of Pontius Pilate's rule. Saint John preached the Kingdom of Heaven and performed the "baptism of repentance" to those who came to him and confessed their sins.

Every year, on June 24, the Christian world celebrates the birth of John the Baptist, a great exception made in the case of him and the Mother of God, as saints and martyrs are commemorated on the day of their death, considered to be the day of their birth for the Kingdom of Heaven .

The Popular Calendar records the celebration of Sânziene or Drăgaica - the biggest and most spectacular pagan celebration of the year

Some researchers claim that the celebration of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, on June 24, was instituted to replace the pagan celebrations of the summer solstice (June 22-23).

In the popular calendar, June 24 is known as Sânziene or Dragaica. The Sânzienele have their origin in an ancient solar cult, being considered beautiful women, true priestesses of the sun, nocturnal divinities hidden in the dark forests, untouched by man.

Unlike Pentecost, which are fantasy representations that bring evil, the Sânzienele are good fairies. But they can also become harmful, they can stir up storms and bring hail, leaving the field without fruit and the flowers without a cure.

On the morning of Sânziene, before sunrise, people gathered bouquets of Sânziene, which they braided into wreaths and threw them on the roofs of the houses. It was believed that the man would live long if the crown remained on the house or, on the contrary, that he would die quickly, when the crown slid towards the edge of the roof or fell.

The girls collected Sânziene flowers to put under their pillow, the night before the holiday, in the belief that they would dream of their bear. The Sânzienel festival was also considered the optimal time for gathering medicinal plants.

Saints Michael and Gabriel, celebrated today. What habits do Romanians have on this day?

On November 8, Christians celebrate the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, known as the leaders of the bands of angels, the guardians of people from birth to death and guides of souls on their way to heaven. Every year, on November 8, the Church honours the Council of Saints Michael and Gabriel and of all the heavenly Powers to the disembodied. So, on November 8, not only the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel are celebrated, but all the angelic hosts who have not separated from God. The archangels in the church calendar are the leaders of the hosts of angels, with wings and swords, as a symbol of victory, and are guides of souls on their way to heaven.

Who are the Archangels Michael and Gabriel

The archangel Gabriel was sent by God to the Virgin Mary to announce to her the great mystery of the incarnation of the Lord, and he also brought to the righteous Joachim and Anna the news of the birth of the Mother of God. In Romanian religious folklore, Archangel Michael is a more revered character compared to Archangel Gabriel. He sometimes carries the keys of heaven, is an ardent fighter against the devil, and watches over the sick, if they are destined to die, or at their feet, if they are destined to live.

We often meet him joining Saint Elijah, when he thunders and strikes or arranges the hail alone, with the cannon. He also keeps the plague under control, like Saint Haralambie. In the past, in Bukovina, Archangels were celebrated because „they are the guardians of people from birth to death, praying to God for their health.”

The archangels, in the popular vision, also attend the last judgment, they are patrons of the house, they burn the sins accumulated by the natural human passions and they purify, through fasting, the consciences.

Customs and traditions of Saints Michael and Gabriel

In the mountainous areas, where the Archangels were also celebrated as owners of sheep, the owners of these animals made a large cake of cornflour, called the „ram cake” (rams being rams separated from sheep), which was considered to be fertile. This cake is thrown in the morning of November 8 in the sheepfold. If the cake fell face up, it was an encouraging sign of joy among the shepherds, considering that in the spring all the sheep will have lambs. If the cake fell face down it was a big upset.

In the popular calendar, the council of Saints Michael and Gabriel is celebrated for three days, on November 8, 9 and 10. The first day is called the head of the Archangel, the second day the middle of the Archangel, and the third day the tail of the Archangel.

We know about Archangel Michael that he is the leader of the heavenly-angelic armies, and we know about Archangel Gabriel that he is the herald of the Virgin Mary who will give birth to the Savior of the world, the baby Jesus.

At the same time, an old custom says that on the feast of Saints Michael and Gabriel, candles are lit both for the living people and for those who passed to the saints without a candle or disappeared in dire circumstances.

Otherwise, on the day of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the great commemoration was made for all the dead in the family. The Day of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel is celebrated because they take people's souls when they die.

It is said that he who works on this day, by the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, will be tormented in the hour of death until the death of the soul. November 8 is also the „Summer of the Archangels”, which lasts one day. In addition, between the Archangels and Christmas there must be between two and four serene and warm days that are popularly called „Winter Summer”.

On the Saturday before the holiday, feasts are held for the souls of the dead. Almsgiving offerings for the dead, on the eve or on the Day of the Archangels, are called „Estates of Archangels”.

The sourse: 

On Maundy Thursday, the housewives make Pasca – a symbolic element of the Easter holidays

Pasca is more than a traditional product, it is a true cosmogonic symbol of the world. Each element of this special bread, which defines the Easter meal, has a profound symbolic explanation, unlike cake, which is rather a dessert. Pasca is more than a traditional product, it is a true cosmogonic symbol of the world. Each element of this special bread, which defines the Easter meal, has a profound symbolic explanation, unlike cozonac, which is rather a dessert, said for IPN Raisa Osadci, ethnologist, scientific researcher, Institute of Cultural Heritage.

Traditional cheese Pasca has its roots deep in the past. „We also have information in the Old Testament about the ancient Passover, the Passover to the Jews, which contained only water, flour, and salt. We find the same information about our ancestor, whose dough contained only water, flour and salt”, mentioned Raisa Osadci.

Passed down from generation to generation, Pasca is still one of the most important elements of the Easter holidays. Pasca in the North and Center of Moldova, both on the left and right of the Prut, has a classic shape. „It contains a circular cake, on the edges of which is placed a coil, usually of two vines. In the middle is placed across, which joins the edges of this circle, and the spaces formed are completed with cow's cheese, egg and salt”, says the scientific researcher.

Pasca is traditionally baked on Maundy Thursday, the day "the heavens open” and is full of symbolic content in the Easter Cycle. „Every circle is a symbol of divinity because we believe that from divinity the worlds were made. Thus, Pasca is also a cosmogonic symbol of the world and that vine put around like a wreath signifies the adherence to divinity. The sign of the cross in the middle is a sign taken from Christianity and signifies the place of intersection where the divinity is. And the branches of this cross indicate the rotation of the world, being the simplest formula of the rosette”, mentioned Raisa Osadci.

According to the ethnologist, in the middle of the rosette would be the divinity, which moves the worlds and can move the worlds from one state to another. „Exactly at Easter, it is considered that on Maundy Thursday the heavens open and close only at Pentecost. That is, it would be a space of time when the rigidity between states is overcome. And then, the dead are invited to come to this world and Easter is made a feast for them”, said Raisa Osadci.

And cheese is an indispensable element. „Cheese is a dairy product, and milk is one of the most important foods, along with honey and wheat. In our mythology, this is the product that ensures the resurrection.” Even salt has a symbolic explanation. „It is a product that contains crystals, high energies and has a purifying effect. And the egg, which has multiple mythological valences, is a symbol of the worlds, which have in the centre the yolk – divinity and other coverings, which show the structure of the world”, Raisa Osadci also said.

But there are also areas where Pasca has taken other forms. In some localities in the north of Moldova, but also in Bucovina, a square Pasca is made, with saltier cheese, but with the same symbolic load, „4” is the number of fulfilment. And in the southern part of Bessarabia, on Easter night, people go to church and take holy bread. "The tradition comes from the Soviet period when the churches were closed, a few men went to a locality where there was a church and brought holy bread for the whole locality,” says Raisa Osadci.

And the cake, sweet baking with nuts or raisins, has made its place on the Pasca table in time, but according to the ethnologist, it has less symbolic value. „At Easter, the cake was made in a small bowl or cup, but it was not a specific shape, but only a convenient one to be given as alms, especially to children.”

However, there are countries where the cake has become a traditional Easter bakery, such as Romania and Bulgaria. A similar cake is Colomba Pasquale, a cake specific to the Easter holiday in Italy. In Greece, there is a round bread with mayo, called Artos, which is baked on the first day of Easter. And Ethiopians eat Easter bread, sweetened with honey, throughout the Easter holidays. Or, according to the researcher, similar traditions can be found from one corner of the world to another, because we all once had the same origins.

The article was written by the IPN News Agency and published on 29.04.2021.

March 30: Saint Pious Alexie, the Man of God. Customs and beliefs

Even today, in some villages in the Ungheni district, popular customs related to „Teple Alexa” are preserved, as it is still called in our day of Saint Alexie. According to tradition, on March 30, St. Alexius, the patron saint of hibernating creatures, reopens the Earth to free the creatures that have awakened from hibernation and warm it for the good of all.

Saint Alexie is also considered the master of snakes, therefore March 30 is also called Snake Day. On this day, in the morning, until the sun rises, the villagers usually rake and light fires in gardens and orchards, so it is believed that the orchard will be guarded by insects and people by snake bites. It is believed that if you see a snake on this day, you should not kill it, because you can get a plague in a year. It is also said that if St. Alexie starts to sing the frogs, warm weather will follow. From this day the bees begin to come out of the hive. Also on this day they try to fish, even if the weather is bad, they still go fishing, at least to soak the fishing rod in the pond, because it is believed that you will be lucky to fish all year round. (Informants: Maria Dereş, Grăseni village; Lidia Bernic, 73 years old, Petreşti village; Parascovia Alcaz, 76 years old, Cetireni village). 

In the village of Todirești on this day, households usually wake up in the morning until sunrise to rake the gardens, sweep the yards and set the garbage on fire, so it is believed that the yard will be guarded by insects and people and animals from disease. In families where there are children, they jump over the fire in the sign of the cross so that they are not bitten by insects all year round.

Also on this day, the housewives take out the dowry and spread it in the sun so that it is not eaten by moths. (Veronica Bîrzoi, 72 years old, Todireşti village)

And in the village of Rădenii Vechi by „Teple Alexa”, at dawn, people were sweeping and raking the yards, orchards and gardens, and the garbage was set on fire. The fires were made in the middle of the garden or orchard. If „Teple Alexa” was expected to rain, then the households would sweep and rake the yards, orchards and gardens on the eve, and the garbage would be placed under a roof, so as not to be watered.

It is also said that on the day of „Teple Alexa” nothing is sown and not planted, the plants, over the summer, can be eaten (cut) by meatballs.

Women on this day did not work, especially they were not allowed to wash clothes, bake bread, spin, hang threads and especially to use needles and scissors so that the bugs would not come into the house and would not have any scales over them. summer. (Informant: Anastasia Creţu, 67 years old, Rădenii Vechi village). And in Mănoileşti they do not work with tail tools such as rakes, hoes, etc. it is kept so that the snakes do not appear in the household or it is also said that, all summer, you will see snakes.

There is no service at the church (Parfeni Eufimia, Vulpești village, 77 years old; Moraru Lidia, Mănoilești village, 73 years old; Bobeico Vera, Vulpești village, 86 years old).

The article was written by Marina Bulgar for the district newspaper, Unghiul.

Today, so ... Journey through the traditional peasant houses from Costuleni village, Ungheni district

What feelings do you have when you pass an old house with a porch or porch? Probably we are overwhelmed by nostalgia and memories of the time spent in the grandparents' house and the steaming bread fresh out of the oven. How could it be otherwise, when in these cottages in the country, where many of us spent the most beautiful days of our childhood, we find simplicity and modesty, utility and harmony. 

How to choose the place of the house and how to build the houses in Costulenii of old? As was the case, young landlords usually built their houses on the piece of land inherited from their parents. If he was the youngest, he would build his house in his parents' yard to support the old age. In Costuleni, houses with porches, houses with porches and houses with porches were built, depending on the material situation of the family. Before starting the construction of the house, the place was incense or sanctified, in order to purify and protect the place from evils, says Elena Prepeliță (88 years old), various elements were buried in the foundation of the house, such as Holy water, incense, wine, money, salt. or bread. Vera Goian (85 years old) remembers, „that in the evening before starting the foundation, she placed two glasses of water on the prepared place, in the morning if the glasses were fuller with water it was a sign that the place is good and everything will work in the household in full, if there was less water it was a bad sign”. The orientation of the house occupied a special place, it was important that the position of the house was oriented to the south, and the main living room was to the east. First the place was prepared, leveled and cleaned. Once the place was ready, the householder prepared the materials, which varied from case to case. If they were richer, stone was brought, shingles or pots were procured for the roof. If it was a needy family, the building materials were simpler. Before the war, houses were built of woven twigs and then smeared with clay in several layers. Also, houses made of clay lamps, the roof was made of reeds, less often of shingles. Unfortunately, such houses have not been preserved in Costuleni.

Starting with the 50s of the century XX, most houses in Costuleni were built of lamps, the roof was with tiles or slate. The houses were built in the summer, when it was hot. Vladimir Prepeliță (88 years old), says that after he got married, being the youngest, his parents allowed him to build his house in his parents' yard. If you go on a trip through the village, in almost all the yards you can see two houses, one is the house where the parents lived, and the newest is the house of the young family. They tore down the old house, cleaned the place, then made a big mess with the people, making clay lamps. Until they dried, they prepared the place for the foundation. Four stakes with string were beaten to establish the four corners of the house and the outer walls, after which the ditches were dug for the foundation. The foundation was also made of lamps (the stone was expensive and the cement was not yet), the lamps for the foundation were bigger and stronger. In some houses, the cellar was also built under a room, but some householders dug a hut separately in the ground, reinforced it with wooden ducts and it served as a cellar. After the foundation was raised, clay was brought from the luthier to fill in the blanks. The construction of the walls began with the corners, first the east corner, then one by one the other corners. The connection between the lamps was made of clay soaked with water, having a soft consistency.

There was room for doors and windows. For the construction of the walls, often the households could not afford to raise a craftsman, so most of the houses in the village were built by the men of the family. In the 60's of the last century, the houses began to be built by the village craftsmen, Nicolaie and Constantin Goian, Leonte Scutelniciuc, Gheorghe Ciocan, Gheorghe Diaconu. Once the walls were raised, they went to the roof, which was laid by a carpenter, during this period the village carpenters were Ion Percic (Chetricică), Ion Rusu (Bilea), Simion Rudico (Bruja). The roof of the houses at Costuleni was in four waters. First, wooden beams were placed along the carcass or exterior walls that supported the roof. These were fastened with iron pegs and large nails. Subsequently, they were placed equally at the same distance. The ends of the beams protruded from the walls, level with the porch. On the porch, the beams rested on the pillars (posts) built in the porch. These were beautifully decorated with elements of decorative carpentry, and under the eaves there was a wooden clock. Vera Goian (85 years old) says that „after the first deer, which formed the top of the house, a wooden cross was carved into nails, carved by the main craftsman, to which a towel and basil were tied, it was a sign of thanks to God , that helped them build the house. This ritual is still practiced today.

After the roof, the house was left to sit for a while, as the elders say, so as not to crack, after that the other stages followed. A clack was organized to „put the bridges” with clay and straw, the clay was prepared the day before. The walls were also anointed (liquefied) with clay in several layers, with straw, then with chaff and horse manure. These works were the responsibility of the women, if the housewife was not very skilled, other women were called who worked during the day, it took skill and skill to handle the shovel (the main tool for gluing clay, it was composed of a piece of board with handle ). After the walls were well dried, they were whitewashed in several layers, sand was added to the first layer (plaster) to make it rougher, then the second layer followed, the last one was lime with sineal, it gave the room an azure color. The same steps were followed for the exterior works. We still have houses in the village whitewashed with lime, covered with pots, and the porches given with „pitch”. In the yard was the oven or the summer kitchen, the cellar, the place where the corn was kept, the schools for birds and animals, the household was fenced with twig fences, later it was passed to the wooden fences and wooden gate.

Currently, in Costuleni there are about 50 traditional houses, old houses that are endangered from one day to the next, only a few of them are in good condition. Time slowly grinds what is left as a testimony of past times. These witnesses of the village of yesteryear must not simply disappear into oblivion and oblivion, they are like a cry of awakening for us today.

Eudochia Goian, history teacher

The source of information: facebook.com